Residents have expressed anger at the proposed closure of a post office.

Sutton town centre looks set to lose the service in the St Nicholas Centre after the publicly-owned company announced it is to modernise.

No decision has been made yet and a 12 week consultation will allow people to have their say.

800 people have already made their feelings known by signing a petition campaigning against the closure, and now Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, has thrown his weight behind the campaign.

One resident, Joyce Brimalow, 72, said the service is essential for a large part of the borough and especially the elderly.

She said: "When I go shopping in the centre I can send my post whilst I'm there. I don't want to walk up the hill to the other Post Office, not at my age. It's hard enough getting around as it is."

Anne Whitburn, another resident, had concerns for the staff.

She said: "Clearly this will undoubtedly cause a great deal of inconvenience to many people.

Plus the fact that employees will be deployed to the main Post Office in Grove Road with the Sword of Damocles hanging above their heads.

In protest, a petition has been started and anyone wishing to can sign it and it is situated in Cafe Kiko opposite."

The Post Office say the branch will merge with the business on Grove Road by April 2015, but it is unclear yet whether staff from the St Nicholas branch will keep their jobs.

A Post Office spokesperson said: "As part of our plans to bring this part of our network back into profit we are proposing to merge the High Street Sutton Crown branch into Sutton Crown branch which has the capacity to accommodate extra customers and is within reach of High Street Sutton branch.

Sutton Crown Post Office would be fully modernised to make it as easy as possible for customers to access services prior to any move taking place."

It was announced in February that the Crown branch in Wallington is looking for a retail partner to move into the branch.

Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, said: "The threat to the St Nicholas Centre Post Office has been kept under wraps.  Many people don't even know that the Post Office is under threat. That is why I am joining forces with residents and local businesses to lobby the Post Office to abandon the idea."